


you're gonna miss me (when i'm gone)

by BookPirate



Series: i'll go wherever you will go [2]
Category: Horizon: Zero Dawn (Video Game)
Genre: F/M, Nightmares, Post-Canon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-31
Updated: 2017-07-31
Packaged: 2018-12-09 09:37:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,160
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11666490
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BookPirate/pseuds/BookPirate
Summary: Aloy has nightmares. It helps that Erend's there.Sequel to hey i be gone today but can be read alone





	you're gonna miss me (when i'm gone)

**Author's Note:**

> This is obviously not just about her nightmares but more about her life. Idk I just wanted to write more.
> 
> Title from 'Cups' by Anna Kendrick

“Shit, shit, shit, shit,” Aloy mutters as she slides down the hill, dodging arrows as she goes. She had been on her way to Meridian when a group of bandits had attacked, taking her by surprise.

There were about a dozen, and she had already killed eight, but the last four were proving more difficult than she had anticipated.

“You can’t run forever!” One of the bandits manages to jump too close for comfort, taking a swipe at her with his spear.

Thankfully, he leaves his side completely exposed, and she’s able to smack it with her own spear, sending the bandit flying as he cries out in pain. This leaves her open to another attack however, and an arrow grazes her arm, cutting the only exposed part and drawing blood. She hisses as she rolls away, trying to find cover.

Just as the bandit takes aim again, an arrow pierces her side, instantly killing her. Aloy looks around to find her savior, and sees Erend rushing towards her. She doesn’t know if she’s ever been this relieved before.

“You didn’t think I was going to leave you to have fun all by yourself now, did you?” he shouts as he finishes off the bandit she had struck earlier.

She lets out a breathless laugh. “Of course not.”

With Erend at her side, they make quick work of the last two bandits. Aloy sits down heavily after they make sure the last one is dead, the adrenaline wearing off and the pain in her arm suddenly registering. He looks at her in concern, finally taking in the bloodstained armor. “You’re hurt.”

“Nothing a little medicine won’t fix.” She pulls some from her pack and covers her wound with it. “How’d you know where to find me?”

“I just followed the dead bodies,” he jokes.

She rolls her eyes. “Very funny.”

He sits down next to her and pulls her close. “I needed to talk to Petra about a new type of weapon she’s designing. I just happened to see your flash of red hair.”

She leans on him, exhaustion seeping into her bones. After a year of being Erend’s lover, she’s still amazed at how she can lower her defenses so quickly around him. It’s not like Elida described, like she’s only alive when he’s around, but she can’t deny he does make her feel safe. “Thanks for showing up. I could’ve taken care of them, but it definitely went faster with you.”

“I don’t doubt you, oh Chosen One.”

She shoves him lightly. “You’re the worst.”

He laughs as he pulls her closer. “So you tell me. Ready to head back home?”

“Yeah, a real bed sounds nice right now.” She stands up and holds a hand out to him. “I just gotta whistle for a mount.”

“Sure,” he smiles, “but first.” He cups the back of her neck and meets her halfway, as she grips his waist. Their lips meet in a tender kiss that has her smiling. Of all the types of kisses they share, this one has to be her favorite.

Eventually they break apart, and Aloy bumps his nose with hers. “Hey.”

“Hey.” He presses another kiss, chaste this time, to the corner of her mouth. “Okay, I’m done.”

“You sure?” She raises an eyebrow at him.

“Well, done for now,” he clarifies.

She laughs. “That’s more like it.”

* * *

Sometimes, Aloy has nightmares. She dreams of fire and destruction, of HADES succeeding, of the bombing of Meridian. Fewer times still, she dreams of Rost, and the way he looked right before he died. Those dreams are the worst.

It doesn’t happen as often as they used to, so that’s what she blames her violent awakening on. She’s shaken in a way she’s not used to, tears she cried in her sleep still wet on her cheek. She wipes them away, trying to slow down her panicked breathing.

Beside her, Erend stirs, but doesn’t wake. Part of her is grateful for that, and she slips as quietly as she can to the downstairs area of his house, where she can get herself a cup of water. The sweat on her skin is giving her a chill in the air, her bare skin glistening in the moonlight that streams through a window.

She feels wide awake now, cursing herself for waking up. She has to debrief Avad first thing in the morning about her visit to Sona and Teersa, to renegotiate parts of their peace treaty, but after only a few hours of sleep, she doesn’t know how much good she’ll be.

The creak on the stairs has her turning her head towards Erend, who’s making his way down the stairs, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes as he goes. “What are you doing up?”

“Couldn’t sleep.” She sighs and leans into his embrace once he reaches her. “I didn’t mean to wake you.”

He hums, rubbing soothing circles into her back. “I reached for you and you weren’t there.” He pauses. “Another nightmare?”

“Yeah.” She feels her eyes droop as she rests her head against his shoulder. “You should try to get some more sleep. I know you have training drills to run in the morning.”

“And you have that meeting with Avad.” He leads her up the stairs. “Come on, you look tired enough to fall asleep on your feet.”

She realizes he’s right the moment her head hits her pillow, and wraps her arm around him as he tucks her in by his side. She feels a wave of sentiment that rarely hits her as hard as it does at that moment. She presses a kiss to his side. “Hey.”

“Hm?” he murmurs, clearly already on the verge of sleep.

“I missed you.”

He rolls over and tucks her head beneath his chin. “I missed you, too. Now, go to sleep.”

And she does.

* * *

The meeting with Avad goes well enough, and she’s able to send a messenger off to the Nora in time for lunch. She may be Aloy despite the Nora, but even she agrees that she’s the best link between the two tribes. As much as she may hate it.

She goes to the walkway that overlooks the training grounds she knows the Vanguards are using for the day. From her vantage-point, she can clearly make out Erend’s form as he demonstrates a drop-hold she’d shown him the day before she left on her most recent trip. It’s a quiet type of thrill that runs up her spine as she takes in the way she can see his muscles moving against his armor, his stocky form fluid in motion.

She’s so wrapped up in watching his technique she almost misses the other Vanguards elbowing each other and nodding in her direction. Almost, but not quite. She manages to stare most of them down into paying attention, but it’s too late. Erend is already looking up at her, a bright smile on his face. “Aloy!”

Sighing, she swings herself over the railing and drops neatly onto the ground, straightening with little effort. “Vanguard.”

He grins widely. “Watching to critique my technique?”

“Maybe I wouldn’t have to if you weren’t messing it up so badly,” she jokes, joining him in the ring. “Should I show you how it’s done?”

“What do you think, Vanguards? Want to watch me fight the huntress?” he calls out as he shifts into a fighting stance, grabbing a practice spear.

A few whoops and one “She’s gonna kick your ass, Captain!” are enough to get the adrenaline flowing in her veins. She rolls her shoulders and brings up her own spear, careful to keep the sharp end tucked close to her side so she doesn’t end up accidentally cutting her partner.

Erend’s right hand man cues them to start, and soon she’s parrying the blows that come her way. She knows she’s sharper and faster than most people, but she and Erend have been sparring long enough that he’s learning her tricks. He manages to get a blow in that she wasn’t expecting, knocking her aside. She recovers, though, and manages to swipe his feet out from under him.

He’s a great fighter, but she’s still better. She’s only a 99.47% match for Elisabet Sobeck, so she knows GAIA must have messed with her genes a little to make her a better fighter. Most days it doesn’t bother her, but sometimes she does feel like she’s cheating when she wins spars like this one.

She holds the blunt end of her spear against his throat. “Give up?”

He just grins as he twists it and uses the force to push her to the ground, too. A burst of surprised laughter escapes her as he asks, “Tie?”

“Sure.” Her pride isn’t bruised, since she respects him so much, but she does tuck the move away in her memory so he doesn’t surprise her next time. She helps him stand up, looking out at his awed men. “So, enjoy yourselves?”

A man she recognizes as Egard whoops. “I knew it!”

“Yeah, yeah, shut up,” Erend grumbles good-naturedly. “You’re dismissed for lunch.”

“Nice move,” she comments as they walk towards their favorite pub. “You surprised me back there.”

“I’ve been practicing.” He shoots her a grin. “Can’t have you winning all the time, now can I?”

“I don’t know,” she muses, “I’m pretty okay with that.”

He snorts and shoves her, making her laugh as she bumps back into him. He slings an arm around her shoulders. “So, how’d the meeting with Avad go?”

“Good.” She leans into him before they have to separate to sit for their meal. “The Nora agreed to the new treaty lines, as long as the Carja don’t try and enter the Embrace without official permission.”

“And what about the stuff with the Nora being able to travel?”

She rolls her eyes. “That took a lot more convincing, but they’re letting merchants and braves cross the boundary lines now.” She stabs the boar meat that’s been placed in front of her with particular force. “You’d think with everything that happened they’d be easier to persuade.”

He hooks her foot with hers. “At least you don’t have to live in their territory anymore.”

“Yeah, thank All-Mother.” She rolls her shoulders, feeling the stiffness in them settle. “For all its faults, Meridian is certainly a better home.”

“I should hope so,” he grins, “seeing as how I’m here.”

She huffs a laugh. “Yeah, you’re alright.”

“So rude.”

“But you like it.”

“Yeah,” he smiles, “yeah, I do.”

* * *

Aloy’s not sure why she’s had two nightmares in a row, except that visiting the Nora and having to negotiate with them has dredged up a lot of memories she usually tries to repress. Regardless, it’s the second night in a row that she’s woken up due to the image of Rost’s face right before he gets consumed by the explosion that killed him, and she can already feel the exhaustion seeping into her bones.

She stumbles out of bed, trying to be quiet but failing, causing Erend to sit up, rubbing his eyes. “Aloy?”

“Sorry,” she mumbles. “Couldn’t sleep.”

“Again?”

“Yeah.” She scrubs at her face. “You should go back to sleep. I’m gonna go downstairs for a bit.”

“I’ll come with.” He swings his legs out of bed, but she manages to push him back on the bed.

“No, it’s fine, seriously. Get some sleep.”

He sighs, catching her wrist and tugging her down with him. “Not without you.”

She feels tears prick at the corner of her eyes, Rost's face right behind her eyelids, and buries her face in the crook of his neck. “I don’t think I can get back to sleep tonight.”

He hums, stroking her back gently as he presses a kiss to her hair. “You can do anything you put your mind to, obviously.”

She snorts, pressing a kiss to his neck. “You’re ridiculous.”

“Yeah, but you love me anyway.”

She freezes, never having heard those words from him before. From the way he tenses, too, she realizes he didn’t know what he was saying. But, in the dark and in his arms, she finds it in her to tell the truth about something she’s known for quite a while. “I do love you anyway.”

She feels rather than sees the grin he has on his face as he presses his lips to hers. She runs her fingers through his mohawk before they settle on the back of his neck, meeting his fervor with her own.

After, when she’s sated and boneless, listening to his breathing even out, she knows she’s not going to have anymore nightmares, at least for tonight. After all, she’s cared for and safe, and that’s all that really matters, at the end of the day. She likes to think Rost would be proud, and that’s the last thought on her mind before she follows Erend into sleep.


End file.
